Lawmakers out in Pacifica, California are currently discussing passing a law requiring pit bulls to be spayed or neutered after a pregnant woman, Darla Napora, was bitten to death dozens of times by her own pet pit bull. The pit bull, covered in Mrs. Napora’s blood and hovering over her body when officers arrived, immediately was tied up by police officers. Unfortunately, the pit bull was able to break free and charged at the police officers as they tried CPR to restart Mrs. Napora’s heart. The dog was shot by the police officers.

The law requiring pit bulls to be spayed and neutered was passed in San Francisco in 2005 after Dianne Whipple was killed by a dog in Jan. 2001 and 12-year-old Nicholas Faibish was mauled by his family pit bulls in 2005.

The President of Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in San Francisco, Jason Walthall, admits that this law has no doubt been effective. Walthall stated: “We did see the number of pit bulls being surrendered to our shelters drop fairly dramatically.”

Pacifica police said the pit bull that attacked Mrs. Napora was not neutered which can make dogs far more aggressive. Mrs. Napora was found by her husband who returned to the house from work at noon. When the police arrived they found the dog hovering around Mrs. Napora who was on the ground with serious trauma to her face and upper body.

The Napora’s closest neighbor said the dogs had always been well behaved and that Mrs. Napora had control over the dogs–that she would call them and they’d back off. The dogs responded well to her and Mr. and Mrs. Napora had owned the dog since it was a puppy. Lesson of this story? Just because you think you can control your pit bull, doesn’t mean they can’t and won’t turn on you or someone else!

This is truly a tragedy and our thoughts and prayers go out to the Napora family. Our concern in Georgia is that it is only a matter of time before such a tragic incident happens in this state. All too often, we see victims of terrible dog bites from owners who do not properly restrain and train their dogs. Additionally, many people who have no understanding about the viciousness of dangerous dogs such as Pit Bulls and Rotweilers, naively think that their dog does not have that capacity.

Good Georgia Lawyer has been saying this for awhile. All too often, we see owners who do not carefully train their dogs or assume because their Pit Bull is gentle and affectionate, they have control of the dog, unaware that this type of dog can turn on a human in a minute.